Laina Turner - Presley Thurman 06 - Tiaras & Texans by Laina Turner Read Free Book Online

He could be way too serious sometimes.
    “Oh, please. Lighten up.” I rolled my eyes. “Why shouldn’t I be excited? Maybe it will be a clue. At least as to her personality.”
    “I somehow doubt that’s why you’re excited,” Cooper said, raising his eyebrows. “I know you too well.”
    I ignored that remark. Mainly because there might have been just a tiny bit of truth to it. “Okay, fine, but there’s something hinky about that girl. I just know it.”
    “Hinky? Is that another official term from Google?”
    Again I ignored him and asked a second time, “So what did Elaine do?”
    “Embezzlement from a former employer.”
    “Wow, surprised she was able to get another job. I understand people make mistakes, but embezzlement is one of those things that is hard for an employer to overlook.”
    “She got off with probation, and unless a company does a background check they wouldn’t know. Many companies just do the standard references, not a full background check. Besides, didn’t you say her aunt knows Harvey? In that case, he probably didn’t bother to do any reference or background check.”
    “And we both know references aren’t worth anything because only an idiot would put down someone who would give them a bad reference,” I said, knowing this all too well from my past life in human resources. “What about Harvey and Linda?”
    “Harvey has an indecent exposure arrest, and Linda public intoxication. No, they weren’t together at the time.” He smiled. Knowing me well enough to know where my mind was headed.
    “Now that would have been interesting. Somehow I’m not surprised at Harvey. Does he know you were doing a background check on him?”
    “No, and I’m not planning on bringing it up. It’s not relevant to this, and he’s the last person who would want to sabotage his own company. I had that checked out before we took this job. He’s made quite a living for himself. This really seems to be his passion and it’s definitely been his livelihood. His company is doing great and has been for the last ten years. I don’t think he is in anyway involved in what is happening around here. I just thought by doing a background check I might find a clue as to who would want to ruin his company, but unfortunately I didn’t.”
    “The same probably goes for Linda, right? I mean there are plenty of times I technically could have received a public intox arrest when I was in college,” I said, laughing.
    “That was exactly it, and you’re right. Nothing we need to bring up or worry about. As far as Allie, Janine, and Marissa—it was shoplifting, and they were all together, so we need to talk to them about their relationship outside the pageant circuit. It could have been as to why they have been targeted in the past.”
    “It didn’t seem they were that close after my talk with Allie. At least that was my impression.”
    “Maybe the other girls will give you a different story. Were you able to talk to them yet?”
    “No, I kept missing them, but Linda set up a meeting for me tomorrow with them, separately of course, before evening gown practice starts.”
    “Good. I want you…” We were interrupted by the waiter arriving with our food. I moved my glass to make room and inhaled deeply as he set down my plate.
    “This smells amazing!”
    “More wine, Miss?” the waiter asked.
    “Yes, please.” The waiter didn’t ask Cooper, since he had hardly touched his. He didn’t drink much while on a job. Me, I looked for any excuse for a glass of wine, or two or three. “So what were you saying?”
    “I want you to talk to Marissa, Janine and again to Allie and make sure you ask them about how often they get together outside of the pageants, and if they have ever had any of these harassing things happen at home or anywhere else, for that matter.”
    “I can do that. When will you have the full report on what kind of plant killed Hollie?” I said, taking a bite of my swordfish, which did not